On September 29,
23 people were killed in the rush-hour stampede on a narrow foot
overbridge (FoBs) linking Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban
stations during heavy rain.

Cricket icon and Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar has
sanctioned Rs. 2 crore from his Members of Parliament Local Area
Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund for revamp of rail foot
overbridges in Mumbai here in the backdrop of the Elphinstone
Road station stampede.

On September 29, 23 people were killed in the rush-hour stampede
on a narrow Foot Overbridge (FoBs) linking Elphinstone Road and
Parel suburban stations during heavy rain.

Mr Tendulkar, in a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, said
he is requesting the Mumbai suburban district collector to
authorise Rs. 2 crore for constructions.

He said Rs. 1 crore each will be allotted to the Western Railway
and Central Railway from his MPLADS fund "towards immediate
revamp and construction of FoBs in as many high density, single
bridge stations on the Western, Central (Main) and Central
(Harbour) lines" that the official may deem urgent.

"The recent incident at the Elphinstone Road station on Western
Railway where innocent lives were lost in a stampede was
devastating and I am moved to offer immediate support for the
improvement of services for our Mumbaikars," he wrote.

"For the families of those affected, it is not a happy Diwali in
any sense, we must do all we can as responsible citizens to
ensure this never happens again on any network in India," Mr
Tendulkar said in the letter dated October 16.

In the letter, also sent to the Mumbai suburban district
collector, Tendulkar said he has asked the Railway Ministry,
Railway Board and zonal heads "to study the possibility of
creating two separate independent zones for the suburban
services, a request that has been made by several experts,
passenger and civil society groups."

"I think there is a merit in this request as it will bring
dedicated manpower, funds and focus on the suburban network
which ferries millions every single day," he wrote.

Every year, MPs are allotted Rs. 5 crore under the MPLAD (Member
of Parliament Local Area Development) Scheme, primarily to take
up development projects in their respective constituencies.

The fund has been increased over time, starting from Rs. 5 lakh
in 1993-94 to Rs. 5 crore at present.